Reel drum lateral movement control



Nov. 11, 1969 L. v. ANDERSON 3,477,655

REEL DRUM LATERAL MOVEMENT CONTROL Filed March 2, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 60 J m 58 J 22 5/ 2/0 /2 7 0 o E; w 9 1 0 g o J 45 'i N '1 E1!"" i i a 1 2: M ii Hi i If I I X f 5 2 INVENTOR.

ioawowh, SW4, Km 8 knowm 1969 v. ANDERSON 3,477,655

REEL DRUM LATERAL MOVEMENT CONTROL Filed March 2, 1967 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

4 4 #uoaesou BY B OwMZ/L, SW,

WMAK 71010614 United States 4 Patent 3,477,655 REEL DRUM LATERAL MOVEMENT CONTROL Lyle V. Anderson, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Blaw-Knox Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 2, 1967, Ser. No. 620,130

Int. Cl. B65h 25/26, 75/18 US. Cl. 242-571 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF, THE DISCLOSURE Reel apparatus, for winding or unwinding, strip material, e.g., steel, that laterally positions an edge of the strip by moving axiallyof the coil only the coil and the drum and as few other moving parts as necessary.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to pay-off and wind-up reels for strip material, such as strip steel, and more particularly to a coil-supporting drum that may be moved axially to maintain accurate positioning of the edge of the moving strip as it winds on or unwinds from a coil on the drum.

When strip steel is wound into a coil on a reel, it is necessary that an edge of the strip 'be accurately positioned as it is wound onto the coil so that essentially all portions of the helical edge of the strip at each side of the coil lie in the same plane normal to the axis of rotation of the coil.

When a strip is being unwound from a coil and passed to a processing line, it is necessary that an edge of the strip be accurately located'after it leaves the coil and as it enters the processing line, to prevent buckling or distortion or improper processing of the strip passing through the line; thus, if the strip is to be slit, it is imperative that an edge of the strip be properly and accurately located before the strip passes through the slitter to insure accurate slitting.

In either case, it has heretofore been the practice to move the coil axially thereof to maintain the desired edge position of the strip by laterally moving the entire assemblage made up of the coil-supporting drum, the driving transmission for supporting and driving the drum, the driving motor for driving the transmission, and a sub-base movable on a base fixed to the plant foundation; such movement has been effected by means controlled by a suitable edge positon detecting means. In prior practice, the motor and other parts of the apparatus moved with the coil often weighed twice as much or more than the full coil. It was also difficult to keep the associated parts of the base and sub-base sufficiently lubricated and clean to permit proper movement of the moving parts for desired edge control.

However, in recent years the speed of processing lines and the size of coils handled in the lines have been greatly increased; indeed, many coils are approximately ten times as heavy as the average coil weight ten years ago. Coils weighing 100,000 pounds are not uncommon at present.

Reel units of sufficient strength to handle such large coils at high speeds must be large and heavy and include correspondingly large and heavy parts. If conventional practice is followed in an effort to position accurately the edge of the strip by moving axially of the coil an assemblage of a sub-base, driving motor or motors, driving transmission or transmissions, coil-supporting drum, associated parts, and the coil itself on the drum, the great weight and high inertia of the assemblage and coil make it difficult to move the assemblage axially of the coil with sufficient rapidity and accuracy and sufficient rapidity of direction reversal, to achieve Patented Nov. 11, 1969 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a reel is provided in which preferably only the coil-supporting drum, and the minimum parts necessary to etfectedge control are moved axially; such parts include the coil itself, the shaft, and the coil-carrying drum. The base, drive motor or motors, driving transmission or transmissions, and associated parts need not be moved axially. According to the invention, it is possible to provide apparatus in which the parts that move with the coil weigh substantially less than the full coil itself. Consequently, even though the drum and its supporting shaft are large enough and strong enough to carry a large coil, the weight and inertia of the parts that move axially are sufficiently low, and static friction between the parts reduced to permit the desired rapid and accurate axial movements of the coil and reversals of such movements to effect accurate positioning of an edge of the strip winding on or unwinding from the coil.

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus avoiding the difficulties of prior apparatus in effecting accurate positioning of the edges of strip material as it is wound or unwound from a coil, even though the coil is large and the strip is traveling at a high rate of speed. A further object is the provision of reel apparatus in which essentially only the reel drum and its supporting shaft are moved axially to effect edge position control of the strip. Another object is the provision of reel apparatus capable of effecting edge position control that has less mass, less inertia, and less static friction, and requires less maintenance and operating power than conventional reel apparatus for regulating the position of the edge of a strip.

The manner of attaining these and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention in connection with the following drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic plan showing a reel embodying the invention for winding a steel strip, the apparatus also including edge position control means;

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the apparatus of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section through a portion of the reel of FIGURE 1, showing a portion of the drum and means for supporting the drum for axial movement thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional along 4-4 of FIGURE 3 and to a somewhat larger scale;

FIGURE 5 is a section at line 5-5 of FIGURE 3 and to a somewhat larger scale; and

FIGURE 6 is a section along line 6-6 of FIGURE 3, to a greatly enlarged scale, with the clearance between the sleeve bearings exaggerated for clarity.

While the invention may be employed to advantage for various purposes, it provides benefits When employed in wind-up reels in processing lines for strip materials such as steel strip, and is disclosed below primarily in connection with such use.

As shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, the illustrated wind-up reel 1 is adapted to coil steel strip 2, emanating from a suitable source such as a processing line, not shown, into a coil 3 on a drum 4. Edge position detecting or sensing means 5 is located at the edge of the strip to sense its position and by means 6 is connected to edge position regulator means 7 connected by conduits 8 and 9 to hydraulic power means 10. Power means provides hydraulic power through conduits 8 and 9, regulator means 7 and conduits 11 and 12 to the actuating cylinder 13, the piston 14 of which moves the coil 3 axially thereof as required, between positions 3' and 3" (FIGURE 3). The elements 5, 7 and 10 may be of known types.

The apparatus shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 also includes bridle rolls 15 for providing tension, idler supporting roll 16, and deflector roll 17, at least the latter of which may be rubber-covered. The deflector roll preferably is located so it makes a substantial angle of contact C with the strip, as shown in FIGURE 2, to anchor the strip laterally to prevent lateral movement of the strip as the coil moves laterally of the strip.

The reel 1 also comprises a motor 18 as the power source, which positively rotates the drum 4 through transmission unit 19. Motor 18 and transmission unit 19 are rigidly mounted on the foundation of the plant building and hence are stationary in the sense that they do not move axially with the coil. The drum 4 that carries coil 3 is supported from one end only and has its other end free; it is mounted on and rotates with a shaft 21, one end of which is unsupported and the other end of which is supported. The shaft is driven by transmission unit 19.

As shown in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, the shaft 21 coaxially carries an operating rod 22 for expanding and collapsing drum 4. The drum 4 may be a known type, such as that disclosed in Patent 3,116,891, that can be collapsed to a smaller circumference to enable a coil to be placed on or removed from the drum over its free end, and be expanded to a larger circumference so the drum can engage and support the inner surface of a coil while preventing relative rotation between the coil and drum.

The transmission unit 19 comprises a housing 23 that is fixed to the foundation. A sleeve member 24 is journaled in the end walls 25 and 26 of the housing for rotatable but not axial movement. This sleeve member rigidly carries a main drive gear 27 keyed to 24, that meshes with a drive pinion 28 mounted on a jack shaft 29 journaled into end walls of the transmission housing and connected to motor 18. Sleeve member 24 has an internal keyway 31 extending longitudinally of its intermediate portion 32.

End portions 33 and 34 of sleeve member 24 rigidly carry sleeve bearings 35 and 36, the rear bearing 35 being of smaller diameter than front sleeve bearing 36. The drum-supporting shaft 21 is slidably mounted in sleeve member 24 by sleeve bearings 38 and 39 rigidly fixed on the shaft and slidably engaging bearings 35 and 36. Shaft 21 carries a key 41 that slides in keyway 31 of member 24 so that shaft 21 is movable axially but not rotatably relatively to sleeve member 24. The internal diameter of bearing 36 is large enough to enable the drum-supporting shaft 21 carrying the key 41 to pass through the bearing in assembly.

The cylinder 13 comprises cylinder member 42 fixed to the rear of the housing 23. Member 42 has a circular cross-sectioned interior bore 43 (FIGURE 3) coaxial with the axis A of shaft 21, and a front end cavity 44 separated from bore 43 by an inner shoulder 45. A piston member 14 is mounted in cylinder member 42; it has a piston portion 46 slidably engaging in fluid-tight relation bore 43 of the cylinder member, and oppositely-extending coaxial barrel portions 47 and 48 respectively slidably engaging in fluid-tight relation the cover 49 fixed to the rear of member 42 and the shoulder 45. Conduits 11 and 12, connected to the edge position regulator means 7, communicate with the interior of the bore 43 on opposite sides of piston portion 46. The rear end of shaft 21 is mounted inside the piston member 14 by bearing 50 for rotational movement but no axial movement relative to the piston member; when the piston member is moved axially of cylinder member 42 by hydraulic fluid in conduits 11 or 12, the shaft 21 moves axially, without interference with its rotation, to move the drum 4 and coil 3 axially.

The drum 4 is expanded and collapsed, as explained in Patent 3,116,891, by axial movement of rod 22' which rotates with shaft 21 through which it coaxially passes. Rod 22 rotates with shaft 21 but is axially movable with respect to shaft 21. To accomplish this (FIGURES 3 and 5), the rear end of rod 22 is mounted inside a member 51 for rotational but no axial movement relative to such member; member 51 is mounted for axial slidable movement but no rotational movement, in a member 52 fixed on the rear of piston member 14. For this purpose member 51 has external diametrically-opposed guide portions 53 that engage mating internal guide portions 54 in member 52. Member 52 and piston member 14 are prevented from rotating, while permitted desired axial movement, and support by lugs 55 fixed to the exterior of member 52 and slidably engaging an axially-extending groove 56 in guide members 57 fixed to the immovable cylinder member 42.

Rod 22 is moved axially as required by a piston 58 that is rigidly attached to member 51 and slidably mounted in fluid-tight relation in the bore 59 of the cylinder member 60 that is fixed to the rear of member 52. Conduits 62 and 63 connected to the cylinder bore 59 on opposite sides of piston 58 supply fluid to move the piston lengthwise of the cylinder member in the proper direction in response to hydraulic fluid energy applied to conduits by suitable conventional means not shown, thus expanding or contracting the drum 4 as required. The means for moving the shaft 21 axially to move the coil axially for edge control thus is not affected by, and does not affect, the means for moving the rod 22 axially to expand or collapse drum 4. The cylinder means for actuating the operating rod is incorporated into the cylinder means for moving the coil-bearing shaft axially, by being fixed to its piston member 14.

The illustrated embodiment also includes means for lubricating the shaft 21 as it moves axially in sleeve member 24 and for lubricating the key as it moves in the keyway, to reduce axial friction. Such means comprises annular housing member 64 having an annular channel 65 that surrounds the exterior of the sleeve member 24 in fluid-tight relation. This housing member 64 is supported from the housing 23 by suitable means, not shown. Lubricant under pressure is supplied to channel 65 by a conduit 66 that preferably extends through the top of the housing 23 and communicates with a suitable source of lubricant supply. An opening 67 extends from keyway 31 through the sleeve member 24 and communicates with groove 65 to permit lubricant to pass from the groove into the interior of the keyway and the sleeve member 24, where it can also lubricate the engaging surfaces of sleeve bearings 35 and 38, 36 and 39.

In operation of the illustrated apparatus, the drum 4 is rotated by motor 18 through transmission unit 19 to cause the reel to rotate in the direction indicated in FIGURE 2, thereby drawing strip 2 from the processing line around the bridle rolls 15 over idler roll 16 and around deflector roll 17 to the coil 3.

The edge position-detecting means 5 continually senses the position of the adjacent edge of the strip 2 and sends corresponding corrective signals through connector means 6 to the edge position regulator means 7. This means, powered by hydraulic fluid in lines 8 and 9 from hydraulic power means 10, controls the pressure and flow of hydraulic fluid through conduits 11 and 12 to cause the piston member 14 to move axially of its cylinder member 42, thus moving shaft 21 in the proper direction and the proper amount to cause the desired positioning of the edge of the strip winding onto the coil '3 mounted on the drum carried by the shaft.

Friction tending to resist the axial movements of the shaft 21 in sleeve 24 is minimized by the apparatus of the invention. When a coil 3 is mounted on drum 4 on the free end of shaft 21, the forces resulting from the load will be downwardly directed at an essentially fixed position on the engaging pair of front sleeve bearings 36 and 39, and upwardly directed on the engaging pair of rear sleeve bearings 35 and 38. However, since all these sleeve bearings rotate in unison, the location at which the load is applied on each sleeve bearing of a pair of engaging sleeve bearings constantly changes as the coil rotates. The portions of engaging sleeve bearings that are exposed to clearance spaces between such bearings also constantly change. Consequently, all portions in each pair of engaging bearings are exposed to lubricant supplied to the clearance space by'the means previously described, and carry lubricant into the position where the bearings bear the load as the shaft 21 rotates.

This can be more clearlyunderstood by reference to FIGURE 6. In that figure, the clearance space S between the front sleeve bearing 39 fixed to the shaft 21 and the sleeve bearing 36 fixed in sleeve member 24 is greatly exaggerated. Under load, these bearings contact at the position L, essentially in linecontact. As the bearings 39 and 36 rotate inunison, position L remains the same andthe elements of the surfaces of the :bearings-move successively into and out of position L. Lubricant supplied to the clearance space S by the system previously described contacts the surfaces of the bearings exposed in space S and lubricant adhering to the surfaces is carried into the position L where the bearing surfaces actually take the load. Consequently, there is always an adequate supply of-lubricant in contact with all surfaces of the bearings that are actually supporting the load, which greatly reduces friction between the bearings. The situation is similar with the rear bearings 35 and 38-, except that the loading position L is at the top since the load is upwardly directed.

Because of the constant replenishment of lubricant and the constant, though small, radial movement that takes place between the innerand outer bearings, static friction is minimized if not eliminated and the force required to initiate axial movement of the shaft 21 is much less with respect to the mass or weight to be moved than with prior constructions. Also the weight that must be moved axially of the coil for edge control purposes is much less than in prior practice, and since the weight that is being moved is greatly reduced, the inertia is greatly reduced and the coil may bemoved rapidly, and its direction changed much more rapidly, than would otherwise be possible, particularly when large coils are employed as in modern practice. Since there is no movable sub-base moving on a fixed base, there is no problem of lubricating moving bases or keeping them clean to facilitate desired movement and the cost of the apparatus. is reduced. Since the-apparatus isfixed to the foundation and only theshaft carrying the coil and associated parts for moving the shaft and operating run are moved axially for edge control, more accurate movement is possible than when the whole apparatus is moved on a base.

The hydraulic system, including power means 7, for supplying hydraulic power for moving the coil axially can be much smaller and much more compact than in prior practice since the force required to move a coil of a given weight is so much less. Consequently the amount of oil in the system and the pressure employed can be greatly reduced. All these factors make it possible to manufacture reel apparatus that provides accurate edge control, that costs considerably less than prior apparatus, that is easier to maintain, and that has greater durability and is less susceptible to malfunctioning.

While the invention has been disclosed in connection with the maintenance of edge control of strip material winding onto a winding reel, it is apparent that identical or similar reel apparatus could be used in systems in which the reel acts as a pay-off reel from which the strip material is unwound, while the position of the edge of the unwinding strip material is controlled by axial movement of the shaft that supports the coil. Moreover, while the disclosure relates to a coil supported from one end only, it is apparent that the invention may be embodied in apparatus in which the coil-supporting shaft is supported at both ends with the coil between.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made in the illustrated embodiment of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and that the invention may be employed for purposes other than that in connection with which it is specifically disclosed.

- I claim:

1. Apparatus for rotatably supporting acoil of strip material and moving it axially thereof to permit control of the location of an edge of the strip being wound on or unwound from said coil, said apparatus comprising stationary supporting means, a shaft having a free end that is adapted to carry a coil of strip material in cantilever relation, means for mounting said shaft on said supporting means from one end only, of said shaft so that said shaft can rotate about its axis and move axially thereof relative to said stationary supporting means while carrying a coil of strip material on the free end thereof, means for sensing the location of an edge of a moving strip forming part of the strip material on said coil at a location spaced from said coil, and means for moving said shaft axially thereof independently of said stationary supporting means while said shaft is rotating in response to signals from said sensing means to maintain said edge of said strip essentially in a predetermined location.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising a means for positively rotating said shaft.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said means for mounting said shaft on said stationary supporting means comprises a sleeve member through which said shaft projects, said sleeve member being mounted on said supporting means for rotation relative to said supporting means about the axis of said shaft but being fixed against movement axially of said supporting means, said sleeve member supporting said shaft for axial movement relative to said sleeve member with its free end projecting from said sleeve member and adapted to carry said coil, and with its other end adapted to be connected to said means for moving said shaft axially of said stationary supporting means.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 comprising drive means for positively rotating said sleeve member, and means operating between said sleeve member and said shaft for preventing relative rotation between said shaft and said sleeve member while permitting relative axial movement therebetween.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 comprising an expandible and collapsible coil-holding means mounted on the free end of said shaft and adapted to carry a coil, an actuating rod passing through said shaft for expanding and collapsing said coil-holding means, said actuating rod projecting from the other end of said shaft, and means for moving said actuating rod axially of said shaft when required to expand or collapse said coil-holding means.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which said means for moving said shaft axially thereof independently of said stationary supporting means comprises first fluid cylinder means mounted on said stationary supporting means and having non-rotatable first piston means therein, means connecting the associated end of said shaft other than its said free end to said first piston means to permit rotatable movement but no axial movement of said shaft relative to said first piston means, and fluid conduit means adapted to contain fluid for moving said first piston means and shaft axially in response to signals from said edging sensing means, and in which means for moving said actuating rod axially of said shaft comprises second fluid cylinder means mounted on said first piston means, second piston means in said second fluid cylinder means connected to said actuating rod, and fluid conduit means connected to said second cylinder means adapted to contain fluid for moving said second piston means and said rod axially of said shaft to expand or collapse said coil-holding means.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 comprising means connecting said actuating rod to said second piston means to permit rotational but no axial movement of said rod relative to said second piston means, said second piston means being non-rotatable.

8. Apparatus of the character described comprising a stationary support; a sleeve member mounted on said support for rotational movement but no axial movement thereof relatively to said support; a shaft extending through said sleeve member, means supporting said shaft Within said sleeve member while permitting movement of said shaft axially of said sleeve member; first fluid cylinder means mounted on said stationary support and surrounding one end of said shaft, piston means mounted in said cylinder means and adapted to move axially of the axis of said shaft in said cylinder means, means forming a connection between said piston means and the associated end of said shaft that permits rotation of said shaft relative to said piston means but no axial movement of said shaft relative to said piston means, fluid conduit means adapted to contain fluid for moving said piston means in said cylinder means; expandable and collapsible coilholding means on the end of said shaft opposite that connected to said first mentioned piston means; an actuating rod passing through said shaft for expanding and collapsing said coil-holding means, an end of said rod projecting from the end of said shaft connected to said first mentioned piston means; and second fluid cylinder means mounted on said first mentioned piston means, second piston means mounted on said projecting end of said actuating rod, said second piston means being axially movable in said second cylinder means, and fluid conduit means adapted to contain fluid for moving said second piston means.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 comprising means operating between said sleeve member and said shaft for causing said shaft to rotate With said sleeve member.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the end of said shaft opposite the end thereof connected to said first piston means is unsupported and carries coil-holding means adapted to support a coil in cantilever relation.

11. Apparatus of the character described comprising a stationary support; a sleeve member mounted on said support for rotational movement but no axial movement thereof relatively to said support; a shaft extending through said sleeve member; means supporting said shaft within said sleeve member from one end only of said shaft so said shaft can rotate about its axis and move axially thereof relative to said sleeve member; first fluid cylinder means mounted on said stationary support and surrounding the end of said shaft opposite its free end, piston means mounted in said cylinder means and adapted to move axially of the axis of said shaft and said cylinder means, means forming a connection between said piston means and the associated end of said shaft that permits rotation of said shaft relative to said piston means but no axial movement of said shaft relative to said piston means, and fluid conduit means adapted to contain fluid for moving said piston means and said cylinder means; and means mounted on the free end of said shaft and adapted to support a coil in cantilever fashion.

12. Apparatus of the character described comprising stationary supporting means; shaft means having a longitudinal axis; means for supporting said shaft means from said stationary supporting means for rotational movement about said axis of said shaft means and for axial movement directly along the axis of said shaft means relative to said stationary supporting means; rod means coaxially mounted in said shaft means for rotation with said shaft means and for movement axially relative to said shaft-means; means for so moving said shaft means axially of said stationary supporting means while permitting said shaft means to rotate relative to said stationary supporting means, comprising cylinder means, piston means axially movable Within said cylinder means, and means connecting said shaft means to said piston means so that said shaft means is rotationally movable but axially immovable relative to said piston means; and means for moving said rod means axially of said shaft means while permitting said rod means to rotate with said shaft means, comprising a member to which said rod means is connected so that it is rotationally movable but axially immovable relatively to said member, second cylinder means carried by said first-mentioned piston means for moving said shaft axially, and second piston means in said second cylinder means, said second piston means being connected to said member to which said rod means is connected for moving axially relatively to said shaft means said rod means and said member to which it is rotatably connected.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner WERNER H. SCHROEDER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 24272 

